Another Lena!

Lena’s (Lynat's) house church.

Not by plan, I ended up going to three different church services Sunday January 24^th. How this came about is a long story. I guess it is all connected to teaching English. Free English classes at the drop in center, Bright Spark, has allowed me the opportunity to get to know Cambodians better. I learn things first hand from my students that statistics might verify, but are more indelible in people.

Because this is a Christian drop in center and my lessons are free I see a very narrow group of students. They definitely want to learn but are limited in their means for yet one more educational expense. My students mostly come to school by bicycle, with a few motorbikes in the lot.

Religious faith seldom comes up in class as I have all I can handle communicating simple English. A student will often ask me what I do. I tell them in English “I am a youth pastor.” I am pretty sure they don't know what that means as they have few here. At Christmas I was given the opportunity to give a message at the Bright Spark Christmas party. Seeing me speaking up front with a Bible in my hands finally helped some understand what I do back in the US.

An older adult student, a parent who came with her daughter, saw this as an answer to her prayers. Lynat (sounds like Lena) is my oldest student and a faithful attendee. After we returned from Christmas vacation she enthusiastically invited me to “sponsor her house church which has 20 to 30 percent children attending.” After a couple conversations I understood she needed a Bible teacher for the adults and older children, sometimes twenty to thirty people attend. Final syllables often get dropped in regular conversation. Thus I always call her Lena because she never pronounces the t. While her English is a work in progress, her faith is fluent.

At my Friday class I try to confirm my intent to visit her house church. I don't think we communicate. She has my business card and phone number but I don't know how to contact her. I know she attends the 7:00 AM service at New Life Church, which we have been meaning to visit.

To no surprise, no one in our family accepts my invitation to 7:00 AM worship. I head out on my motorbike with a general idea of where to go. Finding any business is challenging because house numbers aren't always sequential. Low and behold I turn onto the right street (I can't find a street sign) and easily find the church.

I arrive on time but no Lena to be found. At 7:30 she arrives sitting in the same row about ten seats down. We are still singing so she comes over to greet me, bringing her older daughter who speaks better English. I get her phone number and a promise to send someone to the drop in center to escort me to her house. The church she attends is charismatic and the largest Khmer church in town. Quite different than the expat church I attend. This is my first service of the day.

I get home in time to catch the tuk-tuk to ICA, International Christian Assembly. It is probably the most diverse church in town. They attract few Khmer as it is all English with no translation available. Having been to the Mennonite church, which has no English translation, I understand the frustration. This is my second service of the day.

At 3:30 PM I wait outside Bright Spark for my escort. As we drive to Lynat’s house, I gain new respect for her effort to learn English. She takes about a 5 kilometer bike ride to get to class. After a couple dirt roads I pull up to a short gate to her tiny lot, chickens fleeing for cover. She lives in what could be a two room wood house. I realize I am at the edge of town as her security is minimal and her house is one story wood. In Phnom Penh most houses have high concrete walls and steel gates. They surround two and three story post and beam brick houses.

Lynat's yard is full of kids and everyone is happy to see me. She introduces me to her husband. He gives me a little information on his life. He survived Pol Pot and the Vietnam rule in a refugee camp on Thai border. He got funding for some medical education from his church. He is able to support his family and give his children a good education. That does not mean he has a lot of extra money, but they are focused on helping their children, and the neighborhood children as well.

A Logos preschool teacher is my translator for the Bible study. She is Cambodian, but fluent in English. She smiles many times as I tell the story. I think she has some Bible education but does not want to be the teacher here. I teach from the book of Matthew as that is where they have been studying. The lesson is about who really keeps God's laws, the Pharisees or Jesus' disciples who do not practice ceremonial washing before meals. I do my best to explain the historical context of the conflict in the story. After the Bible study we have a prayer time. After everyone shares their prayer requests, we all pray at the same time. I like this style of prayer time. No one is trying to impress anyone with the content of their prayers.

After the prayers Lynat has snacks for everyone, incredible hospitality for such simple people. It is beans and rice with some sugar sprinkled on top. It is good but I feel guilty being treated so well. In addition to being given a snack, she sends a mango home with me. She is “so happy” to have a Bible teacher for her house church.

I recently read someone commenting about how the North American church spends an inordinate amount of money serving and teaching those who know so much, and comparatively so little on those who are new to the Christian faith. I attended three services this Sunday, but Lena's was the church that blessed me. For knowing so little, her life speaks volumes to her neighbors about a loving(generous) God.